A few days ago the ChronoShark web site offered a nice deal on a Jacques Lemans automatic diver's watch. The description claimed it contained a "Precise Swiss Claro 888 Automatic Movement." I wondered what the heck that was? (JL pic via ChronoShark)
I guess we can rule out a Chinese clone (wait, can we?) as Jacques Lemans appears to be a legitimate brand and the ad claims that the movement is Swiss. So I wonder if this company Claro is making clones of ETA movements that are no longer under IP protection (as I think Selitta does)? At least one post I saw claims that it is a Swiss company cloning Chinese movement, but that seems odd. One post claims that 'Claro-Semag' is owned by Fossil, allowing it to claim Swiss origin, even if by the narrowest of definitions.
Ahhh ... this site claims that the Chinese company Sea-Gull manufactures the movements and supplies them to Swiss company Claro, which is then able to claim them to be Swiss by legal definition? More info here.
Here's what appears to be an official PDF of the CL-888 specs. I wonder if it's a perfect fit for aan ETA 2824 in all dimensions? That would certainly make it more marketable.
A little Googling turned up these threads.
BDWF.net - Claro Discussion
EOT: What is the 'Swiss Claro 888 Automatic Movement?'
Claro-Semag - Chinese Watch Industry Wiki
Claro-Semang - National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors
Official PDF of the CL-888 specs (1.4MB PDF)
Tianjin Seagull - Chinese Watch Industry Wiki
TZ Classics: The Elusive Claro-Semag CL888 Movement
TZ-UK - New Movement manufacturer, Claro Semang?
Seiko: Patent Date for Magic Lever?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Is the Claro 888 an ETA 2824 Clone?
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3 comments:
Hey Chris, found your site googling the CL 888. The watch in question is the Swiss Legend Senator. The styling looks like an APRO - waffle dial, sapphire crystal, display back, screw down crown, brushed & polished bracelet, and deployant clasp. It's even packaged with a winder. It's not an AP 15300, but at an offer price of $250 shipped, kinda seems worth the effort.
The short answer is that the CS 888 is not an ETA clone - it's modeled after a Seiko movement, but with hacking and winding improvements. It's a little different dimensionally from the 2824-2 and hands aren't interchangable between the two.
However, there are Chinese movements which are more or less clones of the most popular ETA models, including the 2824, 2892, 6497 and 7750.
Claro is actually playing the smart card: this movement design is none other than the Miyota 8215, but Claro is sourcing the unfinished parts overseas and then finishing them in Switzerland. According to Swiss regulations (http://www.fhs.ch/en/swissm.php#2.2), this entitles them to sell the movement as Swiss Made.
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